Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-11-18
LITERARY SUCCESS.
The Ways by Which Some Noted Writers
Have Become Famous.

The Ways by Which Some Noted wrtterS
Have Become Famous.
Every literary success has its own his
tory. Thoreau's beautiful books are
found In every library where he would
have cared TO have them; but they were
so little appreciated when originally is
sued that at the end Of the first year al
most the whole edition was returned TO
the author, who carried the books labori-
ously upstairs with the laughing an
nouncement that he was probably the only
man in America with a library OF j 900
volumes all written by himself Rider
Haggard thinks he will try the doubtful
experiment OF weaving his African expert
ence into book for boys, and thousands
Of copies, perhaps hundreds OF thousands
OF king Solomon's Mines" are sold im-
mediately, quite as much 10 his own sur
prise as that of anybody else. Bayard
Taylor, thirsting for the literary life,
eager for fame, but only for the fame
that comes from doing really admirable
work, labors slowly, toilsomely, carefully,
and achieves at last an enviable position
for graceful, scholarly, patient literary
effort Sidney Luska leaps into the liter
airy arena with his first book in his hand,
so brilliant q one that the critics only
wonder whether he can ever do anything
else as good. Miss Alcott is inspired to
write Little Women" because, as she
naively says herself, 'the house needed
Singing" Miss Murfree and Mrs. Bur
nett for years write short stories in OBJ
scure publications, unknown, unnoticed
and unpraised, till the long training and
patient perseverance tell" at last,
and result finally in splendid
effort that the admiring world sup
poses to be their first II. H., brilliant
society woman, not especially interested
In literature already in middle age, writes
suddenly n poem, is perfectly amazed on
receiving $40 for it, pays herself for the
publication Of her first book, only to 6nd
herself in few years acknowledged rs
the finest poetess in America, il indeed,
as Mr.. Emerson said, we may not leave
of the last syllable Of "poetess." Char
lotte Bronte, with profound confidence in
her own genius, encouraged by no one,
discouraged by every publisher till the
last, writes Jane Eyre, TO be one OF the
greatest novels Of her generation. George
Eliot, profoundly self distrustful, ventur-
ing into fiction only at the urgent entreaty
Of Mr.. Lewes, writes Adam Bede, TO
be the admiration Of the world, and per-
haps never did any work finer Of its kind
than her first. Harriet Prescott Spofford,
a girl of 16, who had never been out Of
America and hardly out of Newburyport,
sits in her little room, with portfolio in her
lap, and evolves from her inner conscious
ness and knowledge of books a story OF
Partisan life, so faithful TO the local color
Of the brilliant city Of the world that the
editor of The Atlantic sends il back TO her
at first on the plea that IL is singularly
fine, but presumably translation.
When book appears SO perfect OF It's
kind as Hans Brinker, or the Silver
Skates" the world is interested not
merely in reading the book, but in know
ing how 1t came to be written. 1t may be
stated briefly that Hans Brinker" was
almost the first literary effort, though not
actually the first, Of its author; that at
the time she wrote it she had never been
In Holland at ALL that like her dear and
intimate friend II. H., she had passed her
girlhood and early womanhood without
thought or desire for literary fame
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